Herpes virus found in Torres Strait turtles

The Reef and Rainforest Research Centre says green turtles in the Torres Strait, in far north Queensland, have been infected with a herpes virus that has never been seen in the area before.

Dr Mark Hamann says only turtles near large human populations like Moreton Bay were thought to carry the fibropapilloma disease.

The virus causes cauliflower-like tumours which can cause death when they grow on internal organs.

Dr Hamann says between 5 and 10 per cent of young turtles around Murray Island were infected and that could have long-term implications.

"I think it will, at a long time scale though. It's going to take another 20-odd years for these turtles to grow up and reach maturity, so it's not going to affect the population for a long time and there's probably other more pressing issues like the poor hatchling success," he said.